aluit’s Alianait Arts Festival is postponed until August and two pre-festival concerts have been cancelled due to COVID-19 concerns.

“We’re really sad,” said Victoria Perron, the executive director of the Alianait Arts Festival, “but we believe that this is the right decision based on the current information available to us regarding COVID-19.”

The arts festival was originally to be held from June 26 to 29. Now it will be in August, “dates to be determined,” said Perron.

Pre-festival performances by Melissa Laveux and Prairie Debut have both been cancelled.

Alianait is working with Nunavut’s Department of Economic Development and Transportation to come up with “creative solutions” to support Nunavut-based musicians and music industry professionals while they can’t work because of COVID-19, said Perron, so “stay tuned for more information on that.”